Stander gang hits 3 banks

On 19 January 1984, the Stander gang robs three banks in less than an hour in the Johannesburg city centre. The Stander gang was a group of three men led by Andre Stander, a former police detective. While still a detective, Stander would rob banks on his off days and even during his lunch time. He robbed several banks in Durban before he was caught. He was sentenced to seven years in prison where he befriended two inmates, Allan Heyl and Lee McCall. The three escaped from prison and began robbing banks. The media soon coined the name ‘Stander Gang’ in reference to them. On 19 January 1984 the gang robbed three banks in the Johannesburg CBD in less than an hour. Later that month McCall was killed as police raided one of their safe houses in Houghton.  Heyl fled overseas and was later caught in England. He was arrested and later extradited back to South Africa. He was sentenced to thirty-three years but was released on parole in 2005. Stander, who was hiding out in the US, was shot while struggling for a gun with a police officer. He bled to death on the scene.